Bayern highly motivated for Celtic test - Heynckes

REUTERS

BERLIN (Reuters) – Bayern Munich will be seeking to build on their demolition of Freiburg when they host Celtic in the Champions League, coach Jupp Heynckes said on Tuesday.
Heynckes, in his fourth stint at the club, replaced sacked Carlo Ancelotti and made an instant impact in his first match in charge as Bayern crushed Freiburg 5-0 in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
The 72-year-old, who led Bayern to the 2013 Champions League crown in a treble-winning season, wants an equally explosive European performance against the Scottish champions on Wednesday.
“Bayern have big ambitions in this competition. It would be good to pick up from our performance on Saturday,” Heynckes told reporters.
Bayern are third in Group B, level on three points with second-placed Celtic after the German side’s 3-0 loss to Paris St Germain.
“I think it can always happen that you lose a game in an ongoing competition,” he said. “Celtic are a fighting team. They have won their league six times in a row.
“But we are highly motivated. Obviously, there is always pressure at Bayern but I think the team and me have enough experience to handle that.”
Bayern will be without defender Javi Martinez, whose shoulder injury will keep him out for the next two matches. Bayern are also missing injured winger Franck Ribery and keeper Manuel Neuer.
“I am no friend of playing injured players,” Heynckes said. “The risk of further injury is too great. Javi will miss the next two matches.”

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Ed Osmond)

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